Expand your Cooking Skills While Stuck at Home
With many social plans and other out-of-the-home activities temporarily cancelled, now is the perfect time to experiment and test your skills in the kitchen. Since the vast majority of people are now making all their meals at home, kill two birds with one stone: make your meals and improve your culinary skills by trying out new cooking techniques.
One of the easiest ways to do this is by trying out new recipes. Never cooked a ham before? Or tried making cookies or bread from scratch? Now the perfect time to try. Food blogs, some restaurant industry blogs including our own blog, and Pinterest are great places to find inspiration for new thing to make.
Another great way to expand your repertoire is to use equipment that you have never used before. Pull that cast iron skillet or Bundt pan that you received as a wedding gift out from the back of the cabinet. Finally unbox the countertop fryer you received as a Christmas gift. Use what you already have in your kitchen but somehow have forgotten existed. Learn how to season your cast iron skillet and use it to make shepherd's pie on the oven. Take the Bundt pan and make a delicious cake. Read the instructions for the fryer and try your hand at making donuts or fried anything.
A third way to experiment in the kitchen is to either try a new technique or attempt to master a technique you can already do. Look up how to sous vide cook at home and learn how to make meat or fish using a water bath. Chop your vegetables like a pro by practicing your speed and precision when chopping up carrots to add to dinner. Make a few mini cakes and experiment with colors and pouring styles to make the best galaxy mirror glaze.
Instead of getting bored and angry that you're now spending more time at home, use it as an opportunity to bake to your heart's content or challenge yourself to use that kitchen appliance gathering dust in the corner. You might surprise yourself with what you can learn or master over the next few weeks.